How the way we talk can change the way we work ... and think

I am working through an intriguing book How the way we talk can change the way we work written by two psychologists of adult learning at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. The authors contend that we are naturally immune to any form of change (with our systems quickly rejecting casual changes) and to make change in ourselves and others we must learn 7 new languages (ways) to think and talk about change.

"If we want deeper understanding of the prospect of change, we must pay closer attention to our own powerful inclinations not to change"

Below is a list of the four "Internal" Language forms and the three "Social" Language forms and the old -> new language for each:

The book guides the reader through the first four languages using a Four Column Technique with a column for each of the languages based on self-examination around the following questions which I have paraphrased slightly below:

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1a. What sort of things - if they were to happen more frequently - would improve your on-going development at work?

1b. What commitments or convictions that you hold are actually implied in your response to the previous question?

2. What are you doing which prevents these commitments you have identified being fully realised?

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Teams, networks, groups and their members behave in an irrational way but quite predictably so. A good team leader will understand this and use it to everyone’s advantage. One key point is to knowing each team members motivations and whether they are operating in “social economy” or “market economy” mindsets.